This disclosure relates to the synthesis of cumylphenols and particularly to the synthesis of p-cumylphenol.
The preparation of cumylphenols, and in particular the preparation of para-cumylphenol via the reaction of phenol with alpha-methylstyrene in the presence of a catalyst is well known in the art. See generally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,1 85,475 to Kissinger, U.S. Pat. No. 5,091,058 to Davie, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,906,791 to Imanari et al. While selective to some extent, a number of byproducts are nonetheless produced, including ortho-cumyl phenol, which must be subsequently separated. Furthermore, many of these processes require use of purified alpha-methylstyrene as a starting material. Commercially available alph-amethylstyrene originates as a by-product of the phenol production process, and thus contains numerous other components such as alkylbenzenes, predominantly cumene. The alpha-methylstyrene is isolated by distillation or other costly means. The cost of the purified alpha-methylstyrene adds to the cost of producing cumylphenols. There accordingly remains a need in the art for selective, economical processes to produce cumylphenol, and especially para-cumylphenol.
The above-described and other drawbacks and disadvantages of the prior art are alleviated by a method of preparing cumylphenol comprising reacting phenol and alpha-methylstyrene in the presence of an acid catalyst and an alkylbenzene to form a mixture comprising cumylphenol, wherein the alkylbenzene is present at about 1 weight percent (wt%) to about 90 weight percent based on the total weight of the reaction mixture.